Kazakhstan: Trading knot in the midst of natural wonders

Kazakhstan is taking over an increasingly important role on the international rail freight scene. About 60 to 70 percent of the entire volume on the way to Europe is transported through Kazakhstan. One reason for this is that there are actually the quickest roads on the overland route in this country. The route of the first Chengdu-Vienna-train took the way through Kazakhstan too.

Kazakhstan is taking over an increasingly important role on the international rail freight scene. About 60 to 70 percent of the entire volume on the way to Europe is transported through Kazakhstan. One reason for this is that there are actually the quickest roads on the overland route in this country. The route of the first Chengdu-Vienna-train took the way through Kazakhstan too.

Connection between the continents

Kazakhstan would like to become the central hub for overland routes between Europe and Asia. The starting position is good. Situated in the middle of Eurasia there are the shortest and topographicly easiest connections between the continents. Freight transit is planned to be an important, long-term mainstay of the Kazakh economy and should also reduce the dependence on the resource sector. These plans of the Kazakh government correspond to the “Belt and Road”-Initiative of the Chinese government, which is to reanimate the Silk Road. Good infrastructure should allow the empowerment of the economic area in Kazakhstan. However there are still challenges: a big part of the infrastructure is in a bad condition and has to be renewed. Plans for restructuring are being made by the government.

RCG in Kazakhstan

The RCG as an international rail freight logistics specialist is already connected with possible cooperation partners. A memorandum of understanding has already been signed by representatives of RCG and KTZ Express in spring 2018. Additionally a boosted cooperation with the organization TITR is planned. KTZ is going to organize the operator-activities from the Chinese-Kazakh border to the Ukrainian-Slovak border at Chop/Dobra. The RCG takes over from Dobra and will handle transport from and to European destinations. Moreover the RCG and KTZ Express are working out a common offer on the southern Silk Road – the route through Turkey.

Futher transports

The RCG has already been successfully active in Kazakhstan. Rail Cargo Operator handles trains in one or two concentricities weekly on the European route through Turkey from the Chinese-Kazakh border through Dobra until Duisburg. We handle the transport of different goods in open wagons for Yuxinou Ltd, the state Chinese logistic platform. Additionally RCO-CSKD runs trains from Zilina to Ust-Kammenogorsk in Kazakhstan. We transport car-spares for KIA.

The port of Aktau

The port of Aktau is situated on the east coast of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan. Even though the port is very small, it is going to play a major role, when the route between China and Europe through Turkey is more developed. For trains from China go first to Aktau, and then to Baku with the ferry and then on the railway through Tiflis and Kars to Istanbul. The RCG would like to develop this route actively with partners of the Azerbaijani, Kazak and Turkish rail operators. That’s because trains can easily access our own traction territory from Istanbul and Budapest.

Source: Germany Trade and Invest – Gesellschaft für Außenwirtschaft und Standortmarketing, 16.1.2018; OWC Verlag für Außenwirtschaft. 16.1.2017